New Delhi: Opposition parties, some which do not see eye to eye with the Congress, joined a meeting at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s office in Parliament Monday to debate and discuss the strategy forward in the aftermath of Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha.
In solidarity with the Congress, most Opposition leaders were also seen wearing shades of black at the meeting. Two MPs from rival Trinamool Congress were at the meet, as were representatives from the DMK, SP, JD (U), BRS, CPI (M), RJD, NCP, CPI, IUML, MDMK, Kerala Congress, TMC, RSP, AAP, J&K NC and the Shiv Sena.
Apart from the Trinamool, another detractor, the Aam Aadmi Party, has also extended support to the Congress.
Kharge thanked Opposition leaders who backed the party’s protest after Rahul Gandhi was disqualified following a conviction and a two-year jail sentence in a criminal defamation case — tried in Surat.
Kharge said: “We welcome anyone who comes forward to protect democracy and the Constitution and safeguards the people.
Kharge said the leaders were wearing black to “show (that) PM Modi is ending democracy in the country”. “He first finished autonomous bodies, then they put up their own government everywhere by threatening those who had won polls. Then they used ED, CBI to bend those who didn’t bow,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Congress MPs separtately met in Parliament in presence of Kharge and veteran leader Sonia Gandhi.
MP Manoj Tiwari later told reporters: “The manner in which Rahul Gandhi’s membership was taken away is completely undemocratic. He has the right to appeal in court. The court even gave him 30 days to appeal. Then what was the hurry to take his membership? It’s a black day in the history of our country. What happened was unjust. We will protest against this.”
Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “If you want to speak against Rahul Gandhi, why not speak in Parliament? Is Parliament the place to apologise? Had that been the case, PM Modi would have had to apologise dozens of times.”
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said: “When we speak in Parliament, they don’t let the House function. When we speak outside, they take a decision that leads to disqualification. When we sit in protest in black clothes in front of these black-hearted people who butcher democracy, I’ll show them my black watch and tell them that your time is up and democracy will come to the country after 2024.”
Incidentally, Parliament has been deadlocked ever since the second leg of the Budget Session commenced earlier this month. The Opposition wants a joint-parliamentary committee probe into the Adani-Hindenburg issue while the ruling BJP wanted Rahul Gandhi to apologise for his alleged “anti-democracy” comments during his UK trip.
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